


i was born to run (i was born for this)

by FanfictioningFangirl



Series: Missing Scenes: The Winx Club [1]
Category: Winx Club
Genre: Because they deserved more screen time, Conversations, Developing Friendships, F/M, It's not really Musa/Riven, Missing Scene, Musa thinks it's one sided, One Shot, Pining, Season 2, Talking, and because I'm rewatching Winx Club and I am oddly obsessed, but it's definitely not, more like pre-Musa/Riven, the fic has nothing to do with the Netflix show, they talk a bit, title has nothing to do with the fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-01-20
Packaged: 2021-03-12 02:48:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28878222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanfictioningFangirl/pseuds/FanfictioningFangirl
Summary: “I hate not being with them,” she says, and it feels odd admitting as much out loud. That too to Riven, of all people. But she feels like she owes him an explanation after her sudden outburst. “It’s not because I’m jealous, or because I don’t trust them. I just— I don’t think I’d be able to forgive myself for being here— safe— while they’re out there risking their lives.”She’s not close to him. Hell, Riven’s the least talkative out of the guys, but Musa’s spent enough time watching him to know that he doesn’t feel the same. Not entirely at least.“It’s both for you, isn’t it?” she asks quietly. “You’re worried about them, but you’re jealous too.”Set in Season 2 when Bloom, Stella and Layla/Aisha leave to rescue to Pixies. Musa's thoughts, and the conversation with Riven that follows.
Relationships: Musa & Riven (Winx Club), Musa/Riven (Winx Club)
Series: Missing Scenes: The Winx Club [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2142009
Comments: 17
Kudos: 70





	i was born to run (i was born for this)

Musa’s angry when Bloom and Stella leave.

In part, it’s because she’s being left behind. It’s  _ always _ them. Stella, who never hesitates to share her opinions and Bloom, who isn’t as loud as Stella but always goes out of her way to do her own thing. They’re all supposed to be equals in their group, but Bloom’s always felt like the leader and sometimes, in moments like this, it frustrates Musa to no end.

More than that though, Musa hates that it makes sense for her to stay back. Faragonda’s demonstration had left Musa feeling numb and shaken — it’s terrifying to think of a situation where her powers would cause more damage than help. She keeps picturing the damn boulder coming down on her.

There’s a small, quiet voice in her brain that wonders what Bloom and Stella will do if the cave does start to crumble. A part that knows that she’s not the only one, or thing, that could bring the save down and it leaves Musa feeling this disconcerting mixture of anger and fear.

“We could go,” she tells Flora as the others disappear from view. “And not use our powers. Just be there for them. In case.” Tears of frustration pool in her eyes and Musa tries to blink them away, embarrassed.

Flora gives her a small, sad smile, taking Musa’s hand in hers. “We’d only be a burden,” she says. “I don’t like staying back any more than you do, Musa, but it’s for the best.”

She’d never admit it out loud, but Musa knows Flora’s right. That they’re all right. That doesn’t mean she has to like it, though. She’s frustrated at herself for not using how to use her powers differently; frustrated at the Shadow Phoenix Layla had described for choosing to stay in caves.

Most of all though, she feels numb with a fear she doesn’t have the guts to talk about.

They spend a better part of the afternoon hunched over Tecna’s screen, watching their friends go further and further away from Alfea. But, where Tecna finds comfort in staring at the glowing amber dots that signify their friends, it only makes Musa more nervous. It’s not like they can do anything if something goes wrong; they’re too far to help. They’d just have to wait and watch, and Musa hates the thought of that. She’s never been particularly good at waiting. She’s a girl of action. She likes doing something — anything — and the waiting around stresses her out to no end.

She feels better when Riven and Timmy get back. It’s less lonely that way, and even then, Timmy and Tecna quickly head out with each other and Riven disappears after they meet with Faragonda leaving Musa alone with her thoughts again.

She walks. Sitting still isn’t her thing, especially right now, and it helps to walk at a pace or, when her thoughts start to spiral, to run. She used to run all the time at home. As a kid, playing in the park. As a teenager, trying to run away from her thoughts. It’s always calmed to hear the rhythmic beat of her feet hitting the ground as she takes laps of the castle. Her mind still wanders, but there’s a wisp of a tune in her head — a song she can’t fully remember or a memory she can’t fully recollect. It’s enough though, to keep her distracted and to keep her from stumbling into the endless spiral of panic that thinking of Bloom and Stella throws her into.

Then he appears: Riven.

Musa could have sworn she’d spotted him sitting in their balcony with Flora on her last lap, but he’s in front of her now stiff as ever and a frown creasing his forehead. She’s dimly aware of the way he seems to stand taller when she appears, and for a brief, fleeting moment, Musa dares to think that he’s here to meet her.

But that would be foolish. He’s not — they’re not even friends yet, and she instantly hates herself for daring to hope that he could like her. He barely even knows her 

“What do you want?” Musa asks sharply, and it’s more an attempt to hide the fact that she’d half-smiled when she’d spotted him than out of annoyance.

“Nothing,” Riven says at once, and she turns away from him, arms crossed over her chest.

There’s still a part of her that remembers everything with Darcy from last year. How he’d been rude and dismissive when all those witches had chased her around Magix. Riven’s apologised since, in quiet, when the others weren’t around; but Musa had never felt more alone than that day when she’d been chased around town and having someone — anyone — standing up for her would have made all the difference.

And yet, Riven’s been different since. Still arrogant and rude, but no longer cruel.

“I’m not worried,” she says, turning. She is. She’s damned terrified, but it’s not like she’s going to tell him. They’re not there yet, even if she desperately wishes they were.

“No,” he says. “Of course not. But if I’d gone we’d be back by now.”

She’s been thinking the same too. Well, not the same, but Musa can’t help but wonder if they may have needed her — if the caves had opened up enough for her powers to be useful. If there was anything she could have done, had she gone, that would have made life easier. It’s less jealousy at not being chosen, and more a desperate need to be with her friends — to be injured if they’re injured, to get out fine if they get out fine. She doesn’t think she’d be able to live with herself if something went wrong.

If they never got back.

And it bubbles in her throat. This overwhelming emotion that makes Musa feel like a kid. This fear that she’ll never see Bloom and Stella again and this inexplicable frustration at being put in this situation in the first place.

She throws her arms around Riven before he can react, pressing her head into his chest, tears spilling out and soaking through his shirt.

He tenses against her, for a moment, then carefully wraps his arms around her, awkwardly holding her in place. He pats her head, then drops his hands again.

And even though she’s terrified and crying and even though it feels like everything’s falling apart, a quiet laugh escapes Musa’s lips.

“You’re laughing,” she hears Riven say. He sounds disgruntled.

She pulls away, wiping away her tears. “I’m still scared,” she argues. “You just suck at this.”

“So much for not being worried.” He says it with his usual harshness, but the tips of his lips are curved upwards in the smallest of smiles.

Musa sticks her tongue out at him. It feels stupid to be smiling and laughing when their friends are out there risking their lives and, yet, it feels better this way. It’s easier to stop stressing when she’s distracted.

In a way, Musa supposes that applies to all of them. That’s why Tecna’s always staring at her screen, staring blindly at numbers and statistics, trying to make sense of them. It’s why Flora’s been messing around with the bushes outside their room. It’s why Musa had been running; but this, somehow, feels nicer.

“Aren’t you worried too?” she asks.

Riven shrugs, eyes not meeting hers.

“I hate not being with them,” she says, and it feels odd admitting as much out loud. That too to Riven, of all people. But she feels like she owes him an explanation after her sudden outburst. “It’s not because I’m jealous, or because I don’t trust them. I just— I don’t think I’d be able to forgive myself for being here— safe— while they’re out there risking their lives.”

“Oh,” Riven says.

She’s not close to him. Hell, Riven’s the least talkative out of the guys, but Musa’s spent enough time watching him to know that he doesn’t feel the same. Not entirely at least.

“It’s both for you, isn’t it?” she asks quietly. “You’re worried about them, but you’re jealous too.”

Riven shrugs, but he doesn’t deny it.

She could keep talking. Hell, Musa isn’t as talkative as Stella, but she knows how to keep a conversation going. Even a dead one. Though that never works with Riven. He ignores questions he doesn’t want to be asked and pretends not to care about things that should matter.

He reminds her of the boys at home sometimes. The cool, popular ones who thought too much of themselves. And yet, Riven’s always felt different to them in a way Musa can’t describe. He works for it more than the others at home. He tries. He fights. He loses sometimes, but that doesn't stop him. Musa’s always respected anyone who keeps going on without giving up, even when things get tough.

“Race me,” she says.

He frowns at her. He wasn’t expecting that, and Musa likes that she’s caught him off-guard.

“Five laps,” she says. “Of the grounds.” She’s off before Riven can agree.

Musa starts faster, but by her second lap Musa’s tiring and Riven, who hasn’t been jogging for the better part of the morning and whose training revolves around building the stamina to keep going, overtakes her.

Musa isn’t having it though. She’s competitive by nature, always has been, and when she realises she can’t outrace him she transforms so that she can outfly him.

She hears the sound he makes when she flies past him the first, and glances back to wink at Riven as he rolls her eyes at her. He’s the same though. Competitive. Unwilling to lose. He grabs her wrist the next time she’s passing him, tugging Musa to the ground and deftly grabbing her when she stumbles.

“Cheater,” he says and Musa’s cheeks go warm at how close he sounds. At how close he  _ is _ .

“Would be winner if  _ you _ hadn’t cheated you mean,” she replies, stepping away from him.

Riven scoffs. He’s still holding her wrist. Still staring at her with a look Musa doesn’t fully understand.

“Sky’s always had it easy,” he says, turning away. “And Brandon doesn’t bother to hide the fact that he was born talented. There’s a reason why King Erendor picked him to stick around his heir. They always knew they’d get here. Me? I had to work my ass off to get a chance to compete with the likes of them and, even then, it’ll never be enough.”

It makes sense, Musa supposes. She thinks of Stella, born into royalty. Of Bloom who was born powerful. It’s easy to think that they were born into their privilege and yet, Musa knows Bloom works harder than the rest of them. That, even if Stella hates class, she’s constantly pushing herself when they’re in fairy form. That that doesn’t come without practice. She knows where Riven’s coming from, but Musa knows he’s wrong too. That he’ll understand that with time.

She could lecture him, but that’s not Musa’s thing. Not in the way it’s Bloom’s, or Flora’s.

Instead, she twists her hand so that she’s holding Riven’s wrist instead of the other way round, and sits down on the ground pulling him down with her.

“That’s okay,” she says quietly. “Working your ass off, or whatever.”

He snorts.

“And anyway, you  _ can _ be friends with people who are better than you.”

His eyebrows shoot up. “Oh, really?”

Musa nods, trying her best to push back the smile that tugs at her lips. “I mean, I basically beat you just now, but we’re still friends right?”

She can feel him watching her, grinning at her even, and Musa pretends like it doesn’t make her blush. Like all of this isn’t making her heart soar.

“Right,” Riven says. “Friends.”

His jaw's no longer clenched. His posture feels somehow less stiff and Musa swears he's never looked more relaxed. It makes her feel warm inside. The way he's grinning at her, the fact that he's just agreed to be friends. Deep down, Musa knows that she wants to be more. That she likes him as more than just a friend. But for now, being friends is enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Hear me out. I'd all but forgotten about my childhood obsession with Winx Club until Netflix put up its cursed first trailer for the show. My dislike for the trailer promptly inspired a binging of the first two seasons, a Tumblr reblogging-spree, and this fic. I still enjoyed the show but it's undeniably childish at parts so here's my attempt at rewriting and extending the bit where Musa and Riven talk to each other in Season 2. They're probably at least a little OOC, and it's definitely rushed because I wrote this in one sitting while procrastinating on another fic but I hope you liked it!
> 
> Thoughts, criticism or even requests are always welcome! Comments cost you nothing but can make a writer's day  
> Find me on [Tumblr!](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/fanfictioningfangirl)
> 
> And, as always, thanks for reading!


End file.
